The Most Beautiful Thing He'd Ever Heard
by DarkenedRequiem
Summary: Mix of emotions. One night as Ayame ponders the demons that haunt him he stumbles upon someone in need. Will this be a chance to redeem himself. As the night continues his emotions get the better of him. Can the proud, strong, poise filled Ayame get past his walls and barriers in order to allow his brother in so they can finally get some closure?


_**I hope you enjoy this. It has been passing through my head since recently reacquainting myself with the Fruits Basket Anime. Here's to the twisted, pain filled brotherly bond between the two. Enjoy. **_

_ Ayame sighed as his gaze lifted skyward as his hands slipped elegantly into his pockets. The clear sky gifted him with a brilliant view of the stars that littered the sky in a beautiful ethereal manner. He appreciated them for the sense of escape they gave him on walks like this. He was to meet up with Hatori and Shigure later. He smiled mischievously at the trouble they were bound to get in. He could hardly wait. _

_ He closed his eyes in contentment when his peace was suddenly disturbed. _

_ "Aya?" Ayame's eyes widened slightly at the voice he knew all too well. He searched the darkness around him momentarily before he spotted the source of his disturbance. _

_ A few feet to his left stood a short, petite figure peeking from behind a door frame. The purple eyes that plagued his mind in quiet moments of his life were now once more piercing their way to his soul as they peered at him. The dark grey hair that blended in so well with the darkness and the small frail form were unmistakable markers of who this person was to him. It was Yuki. _

_ Ayame paused in his step and just looked at him. His gaze held nothing but neutrality. Yuki, his younger brother who had been gifted to the head of the family upon his birth, was nearly a stranger to him. He had met him maybe once or twice momentarily before Yuki was ushered away. Even upon his birth he had been kept from him. That was not to say that Ayame didn't feel some sort of brotherly connection to him. In truth, he longed for it. However, due to the positions their lives had hurled them in kept them from having the relationship they should have. Ayame, though he longed for a relationship with his brother, didn't know what he could do to really help him. In his position…there was really nothing to be done for Yuki. _

_ Ayame looked Yuki over quickly. He was injured as he always was. Akito, the Sohma head of house, wasn't the nicest of people although he was barely older than Yuki himself. Yuki brandished the markings of being with Akito recently upon his arms, neck, and left cheek. Ayame felt his heart sink. He truly felt bad for him. It wasn't like he had chosen to live this way. Suddenly the voice that had origionally disturbed him awoke him from his thoughts once more. _

_ "Aya…." Yuki's eyes saddened instantly and tears brimmed in his eyes. "Help me….please?" His voice held a tremor of pain and desperation. _

_ Ayame felt a pain shoot through his chest as his heart clenched up. He forced himself to swallow the knot in his throat that had threatened to form and keep him from speaking. Ayame's schooled expression remained the same level gaze that met Yuki's eyes. _

_ If he tried to help him he would be punished. If he didn't help him Yuki would suffer. There was no win, win for anyone in this situation. If he left him he'd drink more than likely too much and be guilt ridden. If he helped him he'd be physically assaulted for his insubordination to the head of house. No matter what he did someone would lose. _

_ He felt his hands begin to shake at his sides with the weight of what he was about to do already guilting him. He looked away from Yuki and steeled himself. _

_ "Ayame..?" Yuki called out to him. _

_ Ayame kept his head high as he clenched his fists into his pockets and continued on his way trying to push his brother's voice from his head. The guilt eating his insides as he left him standing there injured and alone. _

Ayame awoke from his memory as the glass of sake came into focus in front of him. The pain in his chest was the same as it had been that night and countless times since that night as he had reenacted the same procedure he had done to escape. And eventually, Yuki had stopped calling out to him in desperation. He had stopped asking for his help, and now that Yuki had grown older he resented him for never being there for him. Ayame completely understood that. In his age, he understood exactly what the consequences of his actions had done to Yuki. Yuki had been all alone with no one to turn to. He had failed him as a brother.

Ayame took a sip of the sake in his hand and closed his eyes feeling the old familiar burn as the alcohol hit his throat. His fingertips pressed firm against the cool glass as his throat tingled and closed his eyes. He had messed up…and consequently he had missed out on his brother.

Memories like these were a constant plague for Ayame. No matter how much he drank he could never get drunk enough to forget these moments in time burned into his mind's eye for all of eternity. If only he had helped him. If only he had stopped. If only he had even smiled at him or acknowledged his existence. That's all Yuki had needed. Someone to see him and say, "I know and I'm going to help."

Ayame set the glass down on the table beside him as the heated beast inside of him awoke filling his chest with heat and drive. He felt the muscle on the left side of his upper lip begin to twitch. It always happened when he got angry. He felt his fists subconsciously tighten against the fabric of his couch. He hurriedly rose from his seat successfully knocking the glass of sake over with his long shirt. He didn't care as he exited the room letting the substance soak and stain the carpet below it.

Ayame walked down the hall of his house to the second door on the left side of the hallway. He practically broke the door off of its hinges as he opened it. He heard the cracking of splintering wood as he flooded into the room and grabbed an outer yukata. He needed to go on a walk. Minutes later he was out of the door locking it quickly behind him.

XXX

Ayame walked to streets of the city in an attempt to calm himself. He had done this from his adolescence even though it sometimes happened him upon Yuki. Secretly, though, that had been the whole point of the action. He hadn't been allowed visits to his brother, but he could sometimes stumble upon him at the Sohma compound if he was lucky. It had been one of the ways he could keep an eye on his brother from a distance. Yuki, however, hadn't seen it as such. Well, as far as Ayame knew, Yuki didn't see anything he had done to be of any effort in order to help him. And as much as Ayame hated to admit it, Yuki was right. He had been too much of a coward to help him. He was a child trying to raise himself. There was no way he could have raised him. At least, that had been what he had fed himself back then. Now, looking back, he knew it was just a lie to make himself feel better; to make himself feel better about abandoning his brother in his time of need.

Ayame sighed and his breath came out in a white puff. It was winter at the moment. It had lasted longer than normal this year or so it seemed to Ayame. He hated winter. He supposed it came with the territory of being the snake in the zodiac though. Or at least that didn't help his distaste for it.

He began to look around him to where his feet had led him. He was near the building that Tohru cleaned at during the night in order to pay tuition for her schooling. Tohru, now that was someone that Ayame could have benefitted from knowing had she been around when he was younger. She was strong, independent, had a strong sense of right and wrong, loving, sympathetic, and to the most of the zodiac as well as him a God send. She had helped them all in so many ways that they could never repay her for.

A small smile played across his features as his golden eyes peered at the front door of the building as she exited. Someone would be here to pick her up surely. He was further surprised, however, when she began to walk home by herself. Ayame just watched her retreating figure curiously. Didn't they come get her at night? At least they had before. What had changed?

Ayame continued to watch her leave. He was about to turn to leave when movement caught his attention. He wasn't the only one who had taken notice of her appearance on the street. Two male figures looked in her direction then looked at each other and nodded. Ayame's eyes narrowed as the two figures began to head in the same direction that Tohru had gone. His fists tightened in his pockets as his eyes narrowed further.

He might have stood idly as Yuki was being tortured in silence by Akito, but there was no way in hell that he was going to play the part of a spectator in this situation. Ayame's eyes scanned the street parallel to the one Tohru had taken. It provided a closer vantage point. He could take her attackers by surprise that way. He bolted for the alley pushing himself farther than he had in a long time.

Ayame approached the opening of the alley into the street as the attackers were closing in on a very uneasy looking Tohru who had miraculously noticed their fast approaching presence. She was becoming more aware of her surroundings. That was good, but in this case it wouldn't be good enough for her. She was visibly shaking as Ayame knew that she was contemplating her very grim choices. His golden eyes drifted from her to the closer of the two males who was now brandishing a knife.

He hated to see her uneasy and frightened like she was, but Ayame had to take them by surprise. They were quite a deal younger than he was even though he wasn't so old. He didn't want to underestimate their ability to fight and possibly over take him. He was out numbered and ,to be quite honest, he was no longer in pique condition, and to top it off he didn't expect much help from Tohru if any at all since she wouldn't be expecting him to come to her rescue even.

Ayame felt his body go rigid as he braced himself for an all-out assault on the two younger men. The closer one closed the distance to Tohru faster than Ayame expected. He had a fist full of her brown hair and Tohru whimpered. He couldn't afford to wait any longer.

Ayame launched himself out of the alley and sprinted for the man clutching her hair. The expression on the man's face was utter surprise as Ayame's leg lifted a sickening crack echoing in the air as his foot elegantly connected with the man's jaw. Yuki hadn't been the only one to train under Kazuma. The first strike seemed to happen in slow motion as Ayame glanced over at Tohru. Her eyes were filled with relief and shock at his presence. He couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth flow through him. Time sped up as the man's hand left her hair and Ayame turned his face to the recovered second attacker who was coming at him swinging a larger knife wildly.

Ayame ducked and dodged around the man with seeming ease, but with an opponent like this because of his unrefined technique he had to be wearier of his moves. He was unpredictable and you never knew what he was going to do next. Someone who was trained at least had some logic and pattern to their attacks. Ayame had been exceptionally good at recognizing fighting styles in his youth, and if he hadn't lost that with age…this man had no fighting style what so ever.

Finally, he was careless. He over exerted himself on his last attack leaving his back open to assault and Ayame took it. He needed to end this fight quickly so he could get Tohru back to the safety of Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki. Ayame hit the base of his neck successfully knocking him out cold. The attacker's body hit the ground solidly and then there was silence. The only noise was the horns of cars in the distance. Ayame released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as he closed his eyes in relief.

"Ayame?" The quiet, small voice of Tohru broke him from his worried thoughts.

Ayame turned his head and shot her a dazzling smile. She looked quite shaken but as Ayame looked her over for injuries she seemed to be fine. A second breath escaped him that he hadn't known he'd been holding. She was okay.

"Hello Tohru, you're looking lovely as ever. However, I would suggest something a bit more yellow to bring out that gorgeous brown hair of yours," he said giving her his warm dazzling smile.

Ayame was shocked into seriousness though as he noticed her eyes filling with tears.

"Tohru?"

She suddenly bolted for him and grasped the sides of his jacket near his waist clutching him desperately in her hands burying her face in his chest. Ayame froze as he waited for his form to change. However, they didn't seem to be close enough for him to turn…yet. He could feel her figure begin to tremble. And for the millionth time he cursed the curse that had been laid upon his life that kept him from embracing the girl crying before him. How desperately he wanted to comfort her.

His eyes softened as he peered at the top of her head in a gentle gaze as his right hand returned to his pocket. His left rose to the side of her head as he twirled a trendil of her brown hair around it.

"Why do you cry, Tohru?" His voice seemed loud in the quiet expanse. It had been more of a rhetorical question than anything and he was surprised when he heard her voice shatter the silence that had ensued after his own tenor had faded.

"Because, you could have been hurt, and it would have been all my fault. Yuki would have never forgiven me." Ayame's eyes widened as he looked down at her and the trendil fell from his finger and thumb. She was shaking more now than she had been. "You could have gotten hurt, and I wouldn't have known what to do. I should have been more careful. I can be so careless. Kyo always says I'm careless. I always get others hurt around me. Everyone in school was right. I always hurt people. Look what happened to mom.."

"Tohur," Ayame spoke with a bite to his voice. He didn't want it to be hurtful just enough to get her attention.

Her head shot up as her glassy brown doe-like eyes that were overflowing with tears peered into his golden ones. She seemed momentarily mesmerized by them. It was another wonderful attribute of the snake Ayame had learned in his youth as he had been able to attract many females that way. However, this time his golden eyes held no sparkling mirth, no mischievous scheme, and no daring desire. Instead, certain seriousness replaced them in his leveled gaze. It, he supposed, probably frightened her to a degree as she drew back from him slightly. There were only two people who had ever seen him like this beside the dark headed beauty before him, and every time it had been when he was drunk and guilty about Yuki. Shigure and Hatori had been saints to deal with his inebriated state.

"Tohru, none of that was anywhere close to being your fault," Ayame's tone had mellowed down some, but his gaze still held the same seriousness. "You didn't kill anyone and you weren't the cause of anyone's death. Everyone dies Tohru; some sadly, some suddenly, and some right when they were supposed to. There's a reason behind everything." Ayame looked skyward at the stars as his left hand caught another trendil of her hair between his pointer finger and thumb, "And some things have to happen in order for us to grown into the people we were meant to be," he looked back down into her eyes a soft smile on his face, "no matter how gruesome they may be."

Tohru looked down as Ayame pulled his right hand out of his pocket and caught her chin on the knuckle of his pointer finger. He gently raised her gaze to meet his. He could feel her tremble against him, and all he wanted to do was embrace her. He felt something stir in his chest as he continued to gaze into her soft eyes, but he had sworn off of it since he had observed his brother's growing attraction to the woman before him. He had stolen his childhood from him. He wasn't about to steal his first love as well. He couldn't help though the swirling feeling of weightlessness as he continued to sink into the deep pools of her gaze. He wasn't aware of his slowly inclining head to hers, but he knew he needed to regain control and soon.

He suddenly pulled away from her face and smiled his dazzling smile once more toward her and kissed the top of her head.

"Come on little flower, Shigure will be missing you terribly by now," he said smiling as her as he removed his right hand from his pocket and offered it to her.

Tohru was momentarily shocked as she looked into his eyes. Ayame guessed it might have been from his eyes. Even women that weren't particularly attracted to him were drawn into them, but she quickly recovered and forced a smile. He assumed she did it so he wouldn't worry anymore, but it did nothing to help calm his slight worry. She took his hand and Ayame quickly led her away from the unconscious men that lay sprawled out on the ground.

Under normal circumstances, Ayame would have called the cops to come pick them up so nothing bad would happen to them, but they had attacked Tohru, so whatever happened to them, they deserved. At least, that's how Ayame justified it. He couldn't help a slight smile that played at his lips as they walked in the direction of Shigure's house.

What he couldn't get off of his mind at the moment was the way Tohru had reacted earlier. How long had she been holding that in? What else was she keeping hidden from the Sohmas? How much pain was she really in? How had she been able to mask it for so long? What could he do to help? And why was she so haunted? All of these thoughts troubled the older brother as he glanced sidelong at her.

She had her head down. She hadn't spoken since they had left the spot where she had been attacked. This troubled Ayame further. She was usually a very bubbly, warm, animated girl. This new Tohru that was plagued with pain and worry disturbed him.

The moonlight illuminated her figure seductively silhouetting her form giving her a nearly angelic look. She had come far from the girl that they Sohmas had taken in her freshman year in high school. She had grown in body and , as Ayame had witnessed that night, mind as well. She vaguely reminded him of Hatori. Depressed, always worried, and never held any concern for herself. Maybe he should inform Hatori of her condition. He was a doctor after all. He could do much more for her than he could. He would call him when he got home. It wasn't too late by this point.

Ayame was broken from his thoughts as the warm outside light of the house came into view. Tohru still seemed to be lost in thought and Ayame decided not to disturb her as he opened the door to the house and walked inside Tohru trailing behind him.

Yuki was the first person to come into view who promptly looked up upon their presence.

"Miss Honda? Ayame? What happened? Where's Kyo? I thought he left to walk you home?"

Yuki spared no glance to his brother as he rushed to her side. Tohru looked up as if in surprise. Ayame guessed she really had been lost in her thoughts. Suddenly, there were hurried footsteps heard on the second floor and moments later a very anxious Kyo bounded down them.

"I've been up in my room the whole time you stupid rat! How could I have gone to get her? You never saw me leave!"

Yuki's brow knitted in the middle a clear sign of irritation as Ayame had quickly learned as it was associated with him often.

"You left the house you foolish cat. Where else was I to think you had gone at such an hour? It's not like you go moonlighting. If I had known that you were still here I assure you I would have gone to get Miss Honda myself."

Shigure took this moment to make his appearance as he walked into his living area no doubt to find out what the sudden disturbance to the quiet evening was. He peered around the room until his gaze settled on Ayame.

"Aya! What a surprise it is to see you here!"

"A surprise indeed," voiced Yuki from beside him as he crossed his arms.

"Ayame-san walked me home. He was very kind," Tohru spoke up from beside Ayame quietly. It always astounded Ayame how such a quiet voice could cause the room full of personalities to go so quiet. She seemed to hold everyone's attention when she spoke.

Yuki who was looking a little concerned by this point searched her face for something Ayame wasn't sure what as he let his arms go slack, Kyo crossed his arms and huffed, and Shigure was now shooting Ayame a devilish smirk across the room, but Ayame knew him better. He may have been coming off as playful and scheming but his eyes were asking the questions he wouldn't voice while in the presence of the boys. Shigure knew him too well. For him to intervene, something must have happened.

"Are you okay Honda-san?" Yuki asked worriedly as he looked her straight on, but Tohru was still looking at the ground.

"Of course she is okay. See what I told you stupid rat. She was fine. She doesn't need us to babysit her," he sniped arrogantly. He was trying to provoke Yuki and it seemed to be working quite well.

"She is obviously not fine, you dumb cat. Can you not see how shaken Miss Honda is?" Then Yuki turned to Ayame who stood beside her. His eyes narrowed slightly, "What did you do?"

Ayame smiled his dazzling smile he had mastered in order to hide his hurt as his eyes clouded in that fake euphoria he had perfected over the years. He had created the most unshakable mask.

"Of course I didn't do anything to her Yuki. What do you take me for some mongrel," he said feigning mock hurt with the last sentence. Shigure couldn't help but smirk from across the room as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door way.

"Well, then what is wrong with Miss Honda." Ayame glanced over at Tohru who was holding her arm and still looking down. She was very depressed looking. Ayame was beginning to become worried that she may be injured somewhere that he hadn't seen. She was the kind that would hide an injury she had incurred.

Ayame sighed as he looked at Shigure his expression becoming very serious which earned a shocked reaction from Yuki and Kyo for that matter.

"Gure, call Tori. She isn't hurt as far as I know, but Tohru was in the process of being attacked when I happened upon her," he looked back at Tohru who was now shaking as Yuki blached and looked at Tohru in extreme worry, "I'm just glad she seems to be okay."

"Miss Honda!" Yuki exclaimed as he sat her down on a nearby cushion and began looking her over. Shigure had fled the room moments earlier to the phone and Kyo just stood there in shock. His posture had hardened.

"Where?" Ayame looked to the cat and replied easily.

"They were outside of the building. I am not sure if they were waiting for her or not, but they did seem to follow her immediately after she exited the building. She was attacked on the street halfway to the forest," Kyo started to leave but Ayame stopped him, "Kyo, there's no need for that," his voice took on a deadlier tone that would be befitting of a snake satisfied with his strike, "They are well taken care of I assure you."

Kyo just looked at him in shock at Ayame smiled and then exited the room to the outside. He leaned against the wall of the house and closed his eyes. Moments later he head the door slide open beside him, someone take a few steps, and then the door closed again.

"Tori will be here within the hour."

Ayame just nodded as he opened his eyes and looked skyward.

"I was taking a walk when I saw her. I was about to leave Gure. She's lucky I noticed the two men moving."

"You wouldn't have really let her walk home alone Aya. I know you. Plus, you're the snake. You were always drawn to all sorts of movement."

Ayame looked over at Shigure who was smirking at his insinuation of their youthful tendencies. Ayame couldn't help but smirk himself. A comfortable silence settled between them for a few moments before Shigure broke it.

"You were thinking about him again, weren't you?"

Ayame knew it was more of a statement than a question and on top of that it was rhetorical, but Ayame felt the need to affirm it.

"I must confess, I was thinking of my dear brother Yuki," his eyes drifted to the tops of the trees around them as a cold wind blew around them.

Ayame imagined Shigure was cold in his very thing cloth yukata, but then again he was the dog. Dogs had fur, so maybe he had contracted some body heat from it. He heard Shigure sigh from beside him.

"You can't keep blaming yourself, Aya. You were young. What else were you suppose to have done?"

"Help my brother," Ayame's answer came immediately and directly.

There had been no pause for thought or eloquence of his words. This slightly shocked Shigure.

"I was supposed to have helped Yuki as much as I could have. That's what brothers do Gure. And I was a very crappy one at that."

"Ah but you're trying now, Aya," Shigure said easily as he lit up a cigarette, "surely that counts."

"Yuki doesn't see that. He's too pent on how I was, and he has every right to be angry with me. I was selfish in my youth. I was too afraid to try to go against Akito to save him. Even if it had meant sacrificing my freedoms, I should have. But, alas, I didn't and it has cost me dearly." Ayame's eyes saddened and silence between them resumed.

"Will you stay until Tori gets here?"

"Yes," Ayame answered, "There is something I need to speak to him about."

"Ah," Shigure answered quietly his voice was still low when he continued, "Are you going to go back on the medication again?"

"No," Ayame answered as he lifted off of the wall, "It is a different matter that I need to discuss with him tonight."

"It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with our dear flower would it," Shigure questioned looking at Ayame curiously.

"Unfortunately, it does." Shigure smirked.

"Not going to ask him for flirting tips are you," Ayame smirked back at Shigure but knew he was joking very heavily to try distill the stifling depression atmosphere that had overtaken their conversation.

"Why would I, Ayame, once Student Council President, clothing and fashion designer extraordinaire, need help from Tori on dating?" Ayame said shooting Shigure a devilish smile.

"Oh dear Aya, you seduce me so! Tell me you'll stay with me tonight?" Shigure said laying a hand on his heart.

"I am sorry to disappoint you my dear Gure, but I must pass on your tempting offer." Ayame had taken Shigure's signal that someone was moving behind the door to eves drop.

"You both are disgusting perverts!" shouted Kyo from inside the house.

"You should not be participating in your shameful banter while Miss Honda is in such distress," shot Yuki right after.

Both of the men just smirked at each other as Shigure took a draw from his cigarette before titling his head and sighed the smoke into the sky above him. They had too much fun.

XXX

Hatori arrived forty-five minutes later in his black vehicle. Ayame and Shigure were waiting on the front porch for him. He briskly exited his car his doctor's bag already in hand. He skipped the first step and landed on the porch easily and rushed into the house behind them. Shigure followed him inside and Ayame was shortly behind him.

They boys had moved a very fatigued Tohru to her room and after being told by Yuki it was where Hatori went as well. Shigure and Ayame as well as Kyo and Yuki all sat in silence in the room waiting on Hatori's diagnosis.

Minutes later he reappeared much more relieved than he had been earlier. They all looked up to him as he entered the room.

"Miss Honda-san is overall okay. She's very tired and has little energy. I suggest she stays on bed rest for the majority of the weekend," he gave a pointed look to Shigure who just smiled sheepishly. Yuki nodded but let out a breath he had been holding, Kyo just nodded, and Ayame sighed in relief as well.

"What are you looking at me for? The flower does what she does on her own. It's not like I make her," he said defensively, "You honestly think I'd damage such a precious flower like that?"

Yuki and Kyo glared in his direction at the last comment.

"You do realize how disturbing that sounds, right?" Kyo said eventually and Shigure just smiled answering quite clearly Kyo's statement.

Aforementioned person threw a punch his way that he miraculously dodged. Ayame smirked apparently living with the two hot headed boys had taught him a thing or two. Either that or he wasn't as harmless as he pretended to be.

Yuki and Kyo began to bicker around Shigure who was attempting to referee by saying that they needed to be quiet so the 'innocent flower' could have some peace while she slept. Ayame took that moment to rise to his feet and see Hatori, who was making a run for the door, out.

Once outside Ayame spoke.

"Tori, I'm concerned about Tohru," he began. Hatori merely laughed.

"Since when was the last time you were concerned Aya," he said as he turned to look at Ayame who had his arms crossed and the serious look in his eyes that Hatori recognized instantly. Hatori immediately sobered up.

"I believe Tohru is suffering from some major psychological issues." Hatori made no comment so Ayame continued, "Earlier this evening she had a slight break down on me and ever since she has been depressed and fatigued. She doesn't want to move and when Yuki, granted it was Yuki and his cooking skills have much to be desired, tried to get her to eat she wouldn't talk much less eat. I'm really concerned for her Hatori."

After a moment or two Hatori spoke up, "Are you concerned for her genuinely or the affect it would have on Yuki if she were to become depressed?"

Ayame was taken aback. Yes, he was concerned with the affect it might have on Yuki but he wasn't that cold. Much like the rest of the Sohmas, Ayame genuinely cared for the girl and had grown to like her very much, and besides that there were certain feelings that he held deep inside him for the girl that no one was privy to. Yes, his worry was genuinely for her well-being, but he couldn't say it like that. Hatori was the one who wiped Kana's memory after all. Akito had been generous when he had let Tohru keep her memory of the Sohmas and their curse. He didn't want to give Akito a reason to go back on what he had decided as much for her and Yuki's sake as for his.

Ayame's gaze was hard as he stared into Hatori's calculating eyes. He felt like he was being scrutinized. He had soul searching eyes. Hatori knew him….he had to know that he wasn't that selfish.

Suddenly Ayame began to laugh and Hatori's eye brow went up. Ayame's head was bowed and his face was out of view as his arms went to his side. It took Hatori back at how much it reminded him of Akito when he lost it.

"Oh Tori, you think me that cruel as well?" He stifled his laughter as he looked up at Hatori the edges of his eyes glistening in the moonlight as he brought a hand to his face and crossed his other arm around his middle. He covered the right side of his face leaving his left side exposed. A single tear fell from his eye and trailed down his face elegantly.

Hatori didn't have to ask to know who Ayame was talking about. He knew he was implying Yuki. He also knew that in the past Ayame had been medicated for his depression and anger he had suffered with the guilt he bore from how he had treated or not treated Yuki in his childhood. Hatori didn't hold Ayame responsible for how Yuki had suffered. There hadn't been anything he could have done. Ayame, however, wasn't so kind to himself. He was awoken from his thoughts by Ayame's voice.

"She seems so much like you Tori. She's so kind to others, masks her problems, and she never thinks of herself. She is always so worried about us, all of us. That she neglects herself and her own demons she bares. I thought it would be good if you talked to her…for her sake…as much as ours."

Hatori bowed his head and closed his eyes. He'd gotten too snappy with Ayame. He'd have to apologize but he'd do it later. He raised his head and nodded as he walked back up the steps to the house.

"I guess I'll stay for the night. You should too Ayame. You're in no condition to walk home."

Ayame smirked as he looked at the night sky and sighed.

"Whatever you say Tori."

"It'll give you a chance to spend some time with Yuki."

"This may be true, but I don't want him to see his older brother in such a mess. He doesn't need to know how weak I can get," Ayame said coldly.

"He may need to see that his older brother is human and can get hurt….just like he did." Ayame lifted his head shocked and turned back to Hatori with his eyes wide.

Hatori had been the closest one to Yuki while he was in Akito's care. He had been a doctor after all. He had treated Yuki and taken care of his wounds. He'd even snuck some food into him upon Ayame's request.

Ayame closed his eyes and turned to walk into the house. Hatori just smiled from behind him as he watched Ayame in all his poise and crumbling pride walk into the house in the shattered pieces he had fallen to. What warmed his heart the most was the fact that Yuki, who had been in a position much like Ayame had moments earlier except he was sitting, looked up to see his brother distressed and actually looked concerned.

Ayame sat down on a cushion against the wall and leaned his head back against it and closed his arms folding one leg beneath him and pulling the other to his chest loosely as his arms crossed around his torso. He took in a deep breath and sighed easily as he let his left arm rest on his knee. He was about to settle into a possible nap when a voice broke his peace.

"Aya?" He gasped sharply as his eyes flew open and memory after memory poured through his head. All the times that much younger voice had called him that flashed before him until the figure in front of him finally melded into his seventeen year old self froze in place.

"Yes Yuki," he asked barely able to speak. Yuki was looking concerned. Ayame wanted to look around him to see if Tohru had appeared beside him. She would have been someone he would look at this way.

"Are you okay?" Ayame had a million and one response come to his mind at that moment in time, but he couldn't bring himself to voice any of them. Yuki had stolen his voice, taken his breath, shattered his pride, obliterated his poise, and denied him his strength with three words. Ayame bowed his head his silver hair curtaining his face as he felt the tears begin to stream down his face and in that moment he thanked whatever God there may be for that.

Hatori just watched as Yuki rose from his spot on the floor and looked at his older brother with what appeared to be a pained expression. Hatori dared not move and prayed that no one would come into the room at that moment and break the trance that held Yuki to his brother at moment. Ayame needed this just as much as Yuki did. They needed to put all of their pain behind each other. Although they were both grown men now, well, partially at least, he knew that they needed to hold each other right now. They needed to hug and forgive. It was good for the soul. Of course, Hatori knew he was the biggest hypocrite ever when it came to counseling, but in this moment in time he was glad he had been frozen in a place to watch.

Yuki looked conflicted. He didn't know what to do. Was he to go to his brother or walk away and whatever he did in this moment would prove two things to all three men in the room. They all knew it. Everything rode on Yuki now and Hatori felt his breathing return to normal as Yuki made his way over to Ayame. Hatori smiled and looked down to give them some privacy.

Ayame knew that he had no right to ask Yuki to come to him so he hadn't. He had no right to think he would come to comfort him even though he hoped with all his heart he would, so when he felt someone kneel beside him he had been expecting to hear Hatori's voice telling him that he had done all he could. What he wasn't expecting was for arms to wrap around him and a small, frail figure to pull him into such a strong embrace. Ayame's eyes widened in shock at the contact he was receiving. It was something he had only hoped of in his deepest dreams. Two brothers reunited in forgiveness and brotherly love.

He raised his left arm that had been on his knee and grabbed a hold of Yuki's shirt on his back his grip was solid. He wasn't going to let go this time. Never again would Yuki have to go through anything alone. Never would he let him be hurt without him standing in the way of the pain. Never would he have to be locked away. He would never let Akito do that to him again. A thousand thoughts were racing through his mind and he barely recognized the broken, desperate, pleading sound that resonated from his throat as his voice as he spoke in shuttered breaths his sobbing ensuing as his eyes watered.

"Yuki….I…I…I am s-so sorry. I n-never mea-nt for y-ou to ha-ve to go-o throu-gh tha-t alone. I…I…I wan-ted to be th-ere for you s-so ba-dly. I..I prom-se th-at as lo-ng as I d-raw bre-ath…you n-ever wi-ll. I s-swear." He coughed a few times as he felt his brother tremble against his figure. "I…I tr-ied t-to be a go-od b-roth-er. I just did-n't k-now how. P-please…can y-ou for-give me Yuki?"

Ayame pleaded with him. He needed to be forgiven. If not then how could he ever forgive himself? How could he ever live with himself? How could the demons that plagued him so ever let him go again? He brought his other arm and clutched onto Yuki's shoulder as he felt Yuki's grip on him slacken and for a moment Ayame's heart sank as he tried to pull Yuki to him again.

Then the most beautiful thing Ayame ever heard sounded against the silence of the room.

Yuki's voice sounded choked and watery, "It's okay Aya," he whispered as he settled down in front of Ayame and they looked at each other for what seemed like the first time and Yuki gave him a smile as tears streamed down his face and his body shook with restrained sobs, "I-I forgive you."

Ayame's eyes widened and he pulled Yuki to his chest and buried his face in the dark grey hair that he had wanted to so many times before. He wrapped his arms around his torso and tried to get his breathing right. He felt Yuki wrap his arms around his waist and sink into his lap like he would have done as a child and held his brother.

Ayame looked up to where Hatori had been standing to see him giving him a genuine smile. He could tell Hatori was proud of him. Then he looked to the other corner of the room where Shigure had appeared at some point during their exchange. He was crossing his arms and leaning against the door way smirking knowingly at him. It was the happiest moment of Ayame's life.


End file.
